Hi Reader,

Ramadan Kareem to all who are celebrating the holy month of fasting, worship, and generosity!

As a Christian I have been thinking about what it means that the Islamic month of Ramadan and the Christian season of Lent began on the same day this year - which has not happened in 126 years. For me it's a reminder of how much we share in common no matter where we live or how we worship.

For the 25 families Coffees for Gaza is in relationship with, Ramadan is an incredibly special time. Yet it's often a painful reminder of all they have lost as they remember how they used to celebrate Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. The daily fast is broken with an iftar meal, which is celebratory in nature and includes special foods like dates. Ramadan culminates in Eid, which usually includes gift giving, new clothes, decorating the home, and gatherings with family.

There's also a strong emphasis on zakat (charity) to people in need during the month of Ramadan; the greeting Ramadan Kareem means a "generous Ramadan." So it's an especially appropriate time for us to offer additional support and love with our Coffees for Gaza families!

If you already have a family that you've developed a relationship with, we hope you'll share an extra gift with them this month if you're able. (You can find a list of all of our families' fundraising campaigns here.) This will not only help with their day-to-day survival, but will also make it possible for them to find small but meaningful ways to celebrate this holy month.

Share a Ramadan gift with Tahani's family

If you are looking for a family to donate to this Ramadan, Tahani's family could really use your support and solidarity.

Tahani and her husband Mohammed have four teenage children: Munther, Jana, Hala, and Ezz. Before the genocide began, Tahani was a school secretary and was working towards her degree. Mohammed has severe health problems and needs treatment that he can only receive if the family is able to evacuate.

Tahani's family has been living in a tent for more than 2 years, which is showing many signs of wear. They have to walk past sewage water whenever they venture out anywhere. With basic services like water and santiation cut off, disease is widespread. It's not surprise in such awful conditions that Tahani and her family members have become sick several times.

Tahani recently reflected on her Instagram account about what the coming of Ramadan means this year. She began by describing all she would be doing at the start of the month before the genocide changed everything. She would be decorating, "buying all sorts of delicious treats, and eagerly awaiting the moment of breaking the fast with my family." But over the past 2 and a half years:

Tahani's campaign is in Swedish Krona, though if you click on the donate now button you can also switch to U.S. dollars.

100 krona equals approximately:

• 12 U S dollars
• 9 Great British Pounds
• 16 Australian dollars
• 9 Euros

A note about tipping: Tips go to GoFundMe, not to Tahani or Coffees for Gaza. Tipping is optional, and we recommend that you don't tip GoFundMe.

📣Are you still making a monthly gift on Open Collective? It's time to make the switch!

If you missed our announcements here on the newsletter, through Open Collective, and on Instagram, we'll soon be shutting down our monthly giving campaign on the Open Collective platform.

If you're still making a monthly gift on Open Collective, we're asking you to please fill out this Family Sponsor form so that we can instead switch you to giving directly to a specific family each month.

>>>Not sure if you're still signed up on Open Collective? If you look at your bank statement, Open Collective donations are listed as "Coffees for G.za."<<<

If you have questions or need additional help, just reply to this email.

With love and solidarity,

Rebekah Gienapp and the Coffees for Gaza team

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